FLOOD WATERS POSE HEALTH RISKS | Florida Division of Well being in Flagler – Flagler County Well being Division

By FloridaDailyHerald On Sep 30, 2022

Contact:

Darci Lee

386-276-1168

Bunnell, FL — Skin contact with flood waters may pose a serious health risk when waters become contaminated with bacteria and viruses.

The Florida Department of Health in Flagler County (DOH-Flagler) recommends the following precautions to prevent possible illness from flood waters:

Basic hygiene is critical. Wash your hands with soap and either disinfected or boiled and cooled water, especially before preparing or eating food, after toilet use, after handling a soiled diaper, after participating in flood cleanup activities and after handling objects contaminated with flood water or
Use commercially-bottled water for mixing baby
Avoid eating or drinking anything that has been contaminated with flood

To be safe, you can disinfect tap water using the procedures below. Do not rely on unverified methods for decontaminating water. If water is cloudy, let it settle and filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel or coffee filter. This will help the disinfection process. If you have any extra water, put it in containers that were properly disinfected (see information below water disinefection).

The preferred method to disinfect water is to Boil Water.

Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute to kill harmful bacteria and
To improve the flat taste of boiled water, add one pinch of salt (depending upon health conditions) to each quart or liter of water, or pour the water from one clean container to another clean container.

If boiling is not possible, use Household Bleach.

Add eight drops of plain unscented household bleach (four to six percent strength), which is about 1/8 teaspoon or a dime sized puddle, per gallon of
- Do not use color safe bleach or bleaches with added
If a higher strength bleach is used (up to 8.25 percent strength), only add six drops of bleach.
Mix the solution and let it stand for 30
If the water is cloudy after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure one
If the chlorine taste is too strong, pour the water from one clean container to another and let stand for a few hours before.

It is also possible to use other Disinfection Methods.

Note: Follow the instructions on the product label as each product may have a different strength.

Five drops of Iodine (two percent tincture) can be added to each quart or liter of water to be

Note: Per the CDC, water that has been disinfected with iodine is NOT beneficial for pregnant girls, folks with thyroid issues, these with identified hypersensitivity to iodine or for steady use for quite a lot of weeks at a time.

If the water is cloudy or coloured add 10 drops of
Stir and let the water stand for not less than half-hour earlier than
Water disinfection tablets (out there at sporting items departments or shops) that include chlorine, iodine, chlorine dioxide or different disinfecting brokers may additionally be

Containers for water needs to be rinsed with a bleach answer of 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water earlier than reusing them.

Don’t wade by standing water. If you happen to do, wash your physique and placed on clear garments.

Keep away from contact with flood waters, particularly when you have open cuts or sores.

If in case you have any open cuts or sores and are available in contact with flood waters, wash the world nicely with cleaning soap to stop an infection. If a wound develops redness, swelling or drainage, search instant medical
Residents who maintain lacerations and/or puncture wounds, are inspired to contact their major well being care supplier to verify they’re present on their tetanus vaccine and presumably get a
If sewage backs up into your home, put on rubber boots and waterproof gloves throughout cleanup.
- Absorbent family supplies, resembling material wall coverings, rugs and drywall, needs to be eliminated and discarded since they can’t be correctly
- Exhausting-surfaced partitions and flooring, meals contact surfaces, resembling counter tops, fridges and tables, and areas the place youngsters play needs to be cleaned with cleaning soap and water, adopted by a disinfecting answer of 1/4 cup of bleach to at least one gallon of water.
- All linens and clothes needs to be cleaned in scorching water or dry cleaned, whereas carpeting needs to be steam cleaned if not
- For bigger gadgets, air dry them within the solar, adopted by spraying them with a disinfectant.

If your house is served by a septic tank and your plumbing is functioning slowly or sluggishly, you must:

Preserve water as a lot as potential. If you happen to use much less water, you’ll improve the prospect of not having any septic issues. This would come with lowering the usage of your washer by going to a laundromat. Additionally, think about using a transportable restroom.
Don’t have the septic tank pumped. Exceptionally excessive water tables would possibly crush a septic tank that was pumped dry, or it may come out of the bottom. If the principle downside is excessive floor water, pumping the tank is not going to clear up that downside.
If you happen to can not use your plumbing with out making a sanitary nuisance, resembling sewage on prime of the bottom, think about renting a transportable restroom for a short lived interval, or shifting to a brand new location till circumstances enhance.
Don’t have the septic tank and drainfield repaired till the bottom water has receded beneath the underside of the drainfield. Usually, methods will perform correctly once more when dry circumstances return. Any restore have to be permitted and inspected by DOH-Flagler.

In regards to the Florida Division of Well being

FloridaHealth is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and works to guard, promote and enhance the well being of all folks in Florida by built-in state, county and group efforts.

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